Will you join thousands gathering today to intercede for Britain’s future?

Today in Westminster, a capacity congregation is gathering in the Emmanuel Centre to pray and intercede for the nation, while others are assembling in smaller groups around the country.

While the entire Brexit process has been bathed in prayer by faithful intercessors since before the Referendum in 2016, the need for prayer has only increased as the spiritual battle has intensified. Today (Friday 29 March 2019) should have been an historic day of freedom for Great Britain – a sort of ‘independence day’. But instead, the long and drawn-out struggle for Brexit continues.

Battle-weary though many undoubtedly are, the need to come before God on behalf of our nation, ‘standing in the gap’ not only for our national self-determination but also for the millions in spiritual darkness across our islands, has never been greater. With confession and repentance our central themes, please join with us today in searching for the heart of God and praying in line with his will.

If you would like to pray according to the programme being used in Westminster, its details are below along with a link to download the full document. However you are led by the Lord to pray, our fervent hope is that today the hundreds in central London will be joined by thousands upon thousands of brothers and sisters across this land, raising our voices in chorus to Heaven in this dark hour, petitioning the Lord for the mercy we so little deserve, but so desperately need.

Day of Prayer for the Nation

Westminster schedule

From 9:00am              Registration

10:00 – 10:45am       Worship

10:45 – 11:25am       SESSION 1: Government and Brexit

11:30am – 12:10pm SESSION 2: Church

12:15 – 12:55pm       SESSION 3: Israel and Antisemitism

1:00 – 1:40pm           SESSION 4: Secular Humanism

1:45 – 2:25pm           SESSION 5: Life issues

2:30 – 3:10pm           SESSION 6: Families

3:15 – 3:55pm           SESSION 7: Global Sexual Revolution

4:00 – 4:40pm           SESSION 8: Education

4:45 – 5:25pm           SESSION 9: Islam

5:30 – 6:00pm           SESSION 10: Unity and Spiritual Awakening

6:05 – 7:30pm           Summary and Challenge

The full programme includes session comments and starter points for prayer: click here to download.

Freedom won’t be won without a furious fight

Watching the television news of teeming London crowds calling for a second referendum over Brexit sent my spirit plummeting towards despondency – until the Lord reminded me of the Exodus!

I saw that they were slaves in a foreign land who had become so moulded by subservience to godless ideologies imposed on them that they were blinded to the fact that they were in chains.

And this filled me with hope, as I realised that the deliverance from Egypt of millions of Jews after 430 years of enslavement was no quick-fix arrangement – just like the tortuous negotiations involved in extricating ourselves from Europe (and we’ve only been tied up with them for 45 years!).

Let My People Go!

Moses was called by God to demand that Pharaoh let his people go, and what followed was a protracted battle of frightening proportions. And the Lord was well aware of this, for he said: “I know that the King of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him” (Ex 3:19).

In the same way, a ferocious spiritual battle for the soul of our nation is being enacted before our eyes. Back then, it took a disastrous ten plagues for Pharaoh to act, and that is something of what we are experiencing now, certainly in the spiritual realm of a nation whose heart has become hardened to the Gospel and the blessing it has brought on Britain over the centuries.

Plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, the death of livestock, boils, hail and locusts were not enough to budge the king. The ninth plague – darkness – is perhaps where we are now in the UK with all the chaos, confusion and lack of clarity. But it’s also a sign of hope, as darkness eventually gives way to dawn, and it was the tenth plague that unlocked the door to freedom for the Israelites.

The deliverance from Egypt of millions of Jews after 430 years of enslavement was no quick-fix arrangement – just like the tortuous negotiations to extricate Britain from Europe.

The Sacrificial Lamb

The death of the first-born proved a step too far for the Egyptians, but what brought death to unbelievers was a lifeline for those who trusted in the God of Israel.

The Jews were instructed to daub the lintels and doorframes of their houses with the blood of a sacrificed lamb, and the angel of death would ‘pass over’ all who carried out God’s command. They were thus also able to pass through the Red Sea as on dry ground on their way towards the Promised Land.

The blood was the sign. Blood that had brought death to the Nile now brought life to all who trusted in God’s provision of a spotless, perfect lamb, prefiguring the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, who has taken away the sins of all who trust in him (Ex 12:13; John 1:29).

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who this week called on the PM to 'channel the spirit of Moses' and declare to Europe 'Let my people go!'Perhaps for Britain too, the Lord is looking for a Moses figure (not necessarily the Prime Minister, but who knows?) to lead us out of Egypt. We have worshipped Europe’s humanistic idols for too long. God has a destiny for Britain – in the past we have stood alone against tyranny and led the way in missionary zeal by taking the Gospel of Christ to the four corners of the earth. We even played a significant role in the restoration of God’s ancient people!

If we would only return to our first love for Jesus, and for the Judeo-Christian values which made our nation great, there is ‘a land of milk and honey’ within our grasp – of a people once again living at peace with each other, at ease with itself and devoted to the God of our fathers.

Miracle Needed!

Yes, there will be those who will long for the ‘leeks and onions’ – the way things were. But inheriting a land of promise will not come without a fight. Even after finally giving in to Moses, Pharaoh changed his mind and chased the Israelites all the way to the sea.

A miracle was still needed – and it came when Moses lifted up his staff and the waves parted. This prefigures the resurrection of Christ, on whom we once trusted as a nation.

That is the way out of the present stalemate – not a second referendum, or a half-baked deal. I like the way American preacher John Hagee put it when referring to Christ’s return on the TBN UK channel: “He’s not coming to say, ‘Let’s make a deal’. He’s coming to say, ‘This is the deal!’”¹

I also believe God is saying that at some stage we will be asked to ‘leave quickly’ (Ex 12:33) and that we should be ready to go at any moment (Ex 12:11), that we should not leave ‘empty-handed’ (Ex 3:21) and that, in some form, our eventual exit will have been the ‘long way round’ (Ex 13:17f). Or am I reading too much into these Scriptures? You decide.

If we would only return to our first love for Jesus, and for the Judeo-Christian values which made our nation great, there is ‘a land of milk and honey’ within our grasp.

Hope for the Future

Still on the subject of slavery, the late Selwyn Hughes pointed out that the abolition of the slave trade came about, not through the enslaved organising a revolt, but through the passion of a man set free by Christ to defy furious opposition over many decades in pursuit of his noble goal.²

LAND OF MILK AND HONEY: The verdant hills of Galilee. Photo: Charles Gardner

For all that we betrayed Israel in many ways over the past century, we did pave the way for her national restoration. But God was only able to use us in this way because of the biblical revelation of his purposes for the Jews given to faithful evangelical Christians of the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

Tragically, Christ’s first coming was met by a national rejection from his own people which led to their exile for nearly 2,000 years. Just as tragic is Britain’s current national rejection of Christ.

But think on this. That first Passover led to a national revival for Israel as they all trusted in God’s provision of a blood-soaked sacrifice, and prefigures a national revival still to come, predicted by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans, when “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26).

Could Britain also be blessed with national revival through trusting once more in the blood of Jesus for her redemption?

References

1 TBN UK, 24 March 2019.

2 Every Day with Jesus, 24 March 2019, referring to William Wilberforce.

It’s time to nail our colours to the mast

As we sail into stormy seas over Brexit, it’s time for both Church and state to nail their colours to the mast – over their stand with Israel in particular, and with biblical truth in general.

We have seriously lost our way, thanks to little political co-ordination and much confusion. What we really need is a heavenly compass. Have our politicians asked God for directions? Has the Church made its position clear? Most importantly, whose side are we on?

Anchor for the Soul

In 1947, the United Nations voted – by the required two-thirds majority – to recognise a reborn Jewish state. But Britain, badly bruised by her shambolic oversight of the region she was charged to prepare for this purpose, abstained in the vote and has been reeling from the blow of betraying God’s chosen people ever since.

Another key moment was the bold step taken more recently by President Trump in recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. But none of the major powers have yet followed his lead, preferring instead to seek appeasement with Israel’s enemies, which is one reason Europe is in crisis.

In the midst of the turbulence in Parliament over the prospect of a future outside of Europe, our only hope of steadying the ship of state is in returning to the Judeo-Christian values espoused by the Bible-believing MPs from Northern Ireland, who currently hold the balance of power. And as a further acknowledgement of the God of Israel, and the source of Western civilisation, we need to start seriously standing with the Jews.

Our only hope of steadying the ship of state is in returning to Judeo-Christian values and standing with the Jews.

Do Everything in Your Power

When, during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Israel came perilously close to defeat, Prime Minister Golda Meir appealed to President Nixon for help, and his response in sending reinforcements saved the day – and Israel!

Years later Nixon said: “When she was talking [on the phone], I could hear my mother reading stories from the Old Testament to me when I was a boy.”

He recalled one thing in particular. “I could hear her tell me: ‘One day Richard, you will be in a situation where the Jewish people will need your help. When that day comes, do everything in your power to help them.’ It confirmed all my instincts and I knew I had to act. I suddenly realised why I had become President of the United States. It was the moment I had to do what I had to do.”¹

With a legacy blighted by the Watergate scandal, which saw him authorise illegal activities in pursuit of being re-elected, I guess few people realise the crucial part he played in Israel’s preservation.

Call to Churches

In righting wrongs of past sins committed against Israel, Britain’s Tory Government has made a start with an apology of sorts for restricting immigration to the Holy Land for Jews fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe.

Yet in some respects things have worsened, with the opposition gaining in the polls in spite of being plagued by anti-Semitism, while both the South African and Irish governments have made their anti-Zionist feelings known.

In light of this and especially of the threat posed by Iran, Christians United for Israel UK is calling on churches to stand with Israel as corporate institutions, rather than leaving it to individuals and para-church organisations.

Confidence in the Gospel

The Church as a whole, meanwhile, badly needs to recover confidence in the power of the Gospel. This was brought home to me forcefully as I watched Scotland make what one pundit called a ‘miraculous’ comeback against England in last Saturday’s Six Nations rugby test match at Twickenham.

Down 31-0 in as many minutes, they were facing a humiliating slaughter, but came right back with a brilliant second-half display to lead 38-31, before the hosts tied the match by scoring under the posts deep into injury time.

It reminded me of David and Goliath, especially after picking up a 4oz weight from a display of vintage balance scales in a café that same morning. On being surprised at how heavy it felt, I understood how the Philistine giant failed to survive the shepherd’s lethal slingshot.

The Church as a whole badly needs to recover confidence in the power of the Gospel.

The comparison was complete when I realised that Scotland had scored five tries – all converted – plus a penalty, whereas the young David had picked up five smooth stones for his fight. But he only needed one!

The Sea of Galilee, where Jesus calmed the storm with a word. Photo by Charles Gardner.The weapon we have been given is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph 6:17), while our power is the Gospel, which is “the power of God that brings salvation to all who believe: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Rom 1:16).

Jesus made it clear that if we fail to publicly acknowledge him, he will disown us (Matt 10:32f). Speaking of the signs of his imminent return, he said it would be a time when his disciples will be hated and when many will turn away amid much deception and wickedness. But he who stands firm to the end will be saved - and the Gospel will be preached to the whole world in preparation for his return (Matt 24:9-14).

Opportunities Ahead

So, in the midst of the great trials ahead, Gospel opportunities will come – perhaps as never before – as spiritually hungry people seek solace and comfort. Amidst the hardship, there will be a harvest.

As the tempest rages, remember that Jesus is the one who calmed the storm on Galilee!

References

1 Davies, P, 2018. The Miracle that is Israel. True Vine Media Limited.

The 'Mother of Parliaments' is in disarray - where is God?

Today, the eyes of the world are upon Britain, especially Westminster. Everywhere there is amazement that the British Parliament – the ‘Mother of Parliaments’ – is in disarray.

Why is this? In simple terms, it is because our Parliament, which is supposed to represent the people, is opposed to the people! The nation voted to leave the European Union and in Parliament, of 650 MPs, about 500 of them voted Remain.¹ Most of them will do everything possible to oppose the will of the people they represent, and keep Britain locked into the European Union. Clearly, it is the death of democracy when those elected to represent the people no longer do so.

There are, of course, many additional factors that go to make up the incredibly complicated situation in our House of Commons today. There are leadership ambitions on both sides of the House, and great dissatisfaction with their respective leaders. Among both Labour and Conservatives there is a desire to change the leader. Conservatives know that it would be disastrous to force Mrs May to stand down in the midst of a national crisis and Labour MPs know that Jeremy Corbyn has the backing of many of their new members and there is no outstanding leader to challenge him.

But our task at Prophecy Today UK is not simply to analyse the facts, but to see beyond them to the forces that are shaping our destiny, and to ask pertinent questions such as “What is God doing in the midst of all this chaos?” It is my belief that God is not simply sitting on the side-lines watching what is happening, but he is actually orchestrating the chaos in our Parliament.

Ever Seeing, Never Perceiving

Throughout the Bible we can see how God actively intervenes and creates a chaotic situation to which there appears no simple answer, in order to force people to recognise the utter folly of what they are doing. God actually uses disaster as a means of working out his purposes.

Just look at a few examples: God said to Moses “Go to Pharaoh for I have hardened his heart…” (Ex 10:1). God put a “lying spirit” in the mouths of the prophets (1 Kings 22:23). He put “hooks in the jaws” of Gog and Magog to make them carry out his will (Ezek 38:4). He told Isaiah that he was hardening the hearts of the people so that they would be “ever seeing, but never perceiving” (Isa 6:9).

Throughout the Bible we can see how God actively intervenes and creates a chaotic situation - he uses disaster as a means of working out his purposes.

Jesus said the same about the people of Jerusalem, “If you, even you had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42).

One of the signs of judgment coming upon the people is “madness, blindness and confusion of mind” (Deut 28:28). And when the level of corruption in a nation reaches crisis point, God removes his cover of protection, “Therefore God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts” (Rom 1:24). He sends a “powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie” (2 Thess 2:11).

A Lying Spirit

Today, we are not only seeing our Parliament but the media, the means of communication, being infected with a lying spirit. It is an age of fake news and deception. Even our national broadcaster, the BBC, that was founded upon biblical truth and the objective of transmitting it to the world, can no longer be trusted.

Radio 4, the bulwark of news broadcasting, has since the beginning of the year been pushing consistently for a second referendum, with the objective of reversing the decision to leave the European Union.

Powerful figures such as John Humphrys have undoubtedly added to the division in Britain that threatens every part of our national life – the economy, trade and industry, and law and order - because another referendum would create a level of national division not seen in Britain since the Civil War four centuries ago. This is especially so given the spirit of violence that is currently driving social media, contributing to knife crime, gang warfare, race hatred and terrorism.

Under Judgment

The plain fact is that as a nation we do not know what we are doing – we are blindly heading for disaster, led by our MPs, so many of who are driven by lying spirits, because we are a nation under judgment.

Today, we are not only seeing our Parliament but the media, the means of communication, being infected with a lying spirit.

Theresa May is under judgment in the same way as David Cameron was - and for the same reason. They both conspired to drive the Same-Sex Marriage Bill through Parliament against the wishes of more than 100 of their own MPs and against the wishes of the majority of the British people at that time. She was Home Secretary; he was Prime Minister.

Both of them claim to be Christians, therefore they know the word of God and they deliberately chose to defy biblical commands and lead the nation astray. David Cameron swiftly brought judgment upon himself that ended his career. Theresa May cannot succeed in anything to which she puts her hand (Deut 28:20) and she can only be the instrument of bringing further judgment upon the nation.

The 11^th Hour

It gives me no pleasure to write these things - but they are the plain, unvarnished truth. Is there any way of avoiding the deepening judgment that is coming upon the nation? Yes, of course there is! There is always, in the mercy of God, up to the 11^th hour, the offer of forgiveness and redemption - if there is repentance and turning.

We are now in the 11^th hour. But if the nation were prepared to put their trust in God and walk away from the secular humanist constrictions of the European Union without a deal, it would surely be pleasing in God’s sight. It would also lead to great opportunity for spiritual revival - for biblical truth to transform the nation through the prayers and the witness of the faithful remnant, who understand the times and are prepared to tell the nation the truth.

It may be that God is actually answering the prayers of the faithful remnant by increasing the chaos in our Parliament, so that Britain falls out of the EU by accident rather than by design. Despite voting against leaving without a deal, it is still possible that this is precisely what will happen on 29 March 2019. Is this God’s intention for Britain?

Please respond to our poll below:

References

1 Jacob Rees-Mogg’s estimate.

The Church has remained silent on Israel for too long

As Jews the world over next week mark a feast they have celebrated annually for the past 2,500 years, it presents a perfect opportunity for the Church to step into the breach on behalf of God’s chosen people.

The feast of Purim recalls the time when a beautiful young orphan queen known as Esther saved her people from annihilation in ancient Persia.

Her identity as a Jew was a secret at the time of her accession to the throne, as the potential for anti-Semitism was so great that the Bible’s account of her heroics only mentions God in code.

But when her guardian, Mordecai, alerted her to Haman’s genocidal plot against all the Jews in an empire stretching from India to Egypt, he challenged her with these words: “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Est 4:14).

Esther knew it would be dangerous to approach the king without being summoned but, just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego risked the fiery furnace rather than compromise their faith, Esther too bit the bullet, defiantly declaring: “If I perish, I perish” (Est 4:16).

Modern Threats

Is it not time for the Church to stand up for the Jews as Esther did? The Church in Germany were, for the most part, silent as they watched Hitler’s anti-Semitic cancer spread.

Thankfully, para-church organisations like Christian Friends of Israel, representing thousands of individual Christians, have until now played the part of Mordecai in their attempt to alert the Church to the dangers.

One of them, Christians United for Israel, has actually launched a campaign called 'Operation Mordecai', warning of the danger posed by Iran (modern-day Persia) to Israel and the West, and is encouraging churches to nail their colours to the mast by showing corporate support for Israel rather than leaving it to individual believers.

Is it not time for the Church to stand up for the Jews just as Esther did?

Israel’s existence – and by extension that of the Jewish people – is threatened once again. First Pharaoh tried to obliterate them, then Haman, followed by Herod and Hitler. Now the likes of Hamas are inflicting their murder and mayhem on Israel’s southern borders while, in the north, Hezbollah have some 120,000 missiles hidden among Lebanon’s civilian population.

At the same time, a harrowing new wave of anti-Semitism is sweeping across Europe and America, while in Britain we are witnessing an unholy alliance between hard-left Labour and the far-right - including Islamists - viciously persecuting innocent Jews.

Time to Stand Up!

The Tory Government has made a start in repenting of past sins committed against the Jews. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has apologised for Britain’s blocking of those trying to escape the Nazi butchers and for its holding of others in detention camps like Atlit, near Haifa, during the 1940s. And Home Secretary Sajid Javid has finally pronounced a full ban on Hezbollah.

But the Church in Britain – as a whole – has badly neglected the Jews. We are not only responsible for the scourge of social engineering now blighting our beloved country, but also for the disgraceful scandal of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.

Where have the strong Christian voices of support for Israel been over the years? Do we really think God has reneged on his promise of everlasting love for the Jews (Jer 31:3)? Do we realise that such misguided belief gives carte blanche to the sort of unbridled hatred for Israel pronounced by many of those seeking to wrest power from the Conservatives?

Jeremy Corbyn and his close allies – like terror groups Hezbollah and Hamas – believe Israel has no right to exist. It’s time to make amends for our indifference by taking on the role of Esther – intervening on behalf of an endangered people, both in prayer and action.

The Tory Government has made a start in repenting of past sins committed by Britain against the Jews. But the British Church – as a whole – remains silent.

Cursing Turned Around

In modern Persia, the ayatollahs are determined to wipe Israel off the map, using nuclear weapons if necessary. But the tables were turned on the anti-Semites of ancient Persia. Haman literally made a rope on which to hang himself and the evil scheme he had devised came back on his own head. Those who dare to stand against the Jews or their Messiah will surely come to ruin!

Indeed, the tables were turned on Germany, and it all came back on their own heads as their cities were reduced to rubble – Darmstadt, for instance, had its own 9/11 when, on 11 September 1944, the city was destroyed, leaving 12,000 dead and many more homeless.

Similar devastation awaits those who touch the apple of God’s eye today (Zech 2:8).

How the West was lost – and what God's people ought to do about it.

Editorial Introduction: In the first of a two-part interview by Randall Hardy, the former Queen’s Chaplain Gavin Ashenden gives his perspective on the spiritual state of Britain.

Part 1: Counting the Cost

RH: Many people/Christians in the West are confused by the rapid changes which are happening in society. What is your understanding of the times in which we live?

GA: We've been used to a period when Christianity has profoundly influenced the world we've lived in, but its influence has ebbed and flowed, so we've had, if you like, almost eddies of influence. To continue with that metaphor and to use tide instead, the tide of Christian influence is in our day running out fast and the extent to which it's run out has surprised everybody.

It's almost as if Christian influence has crumbled overnight for some of us, in the last couple of decades, in a way that would have been shocking if we could have foreseen it. So I think the effect it's had on us is to challenge our assumption that we could take the Christianisation of our culture for granted.

We clearly can't, and its disintegration in our own lives has been a cultural and spiritual shock, and I think also a theological warning.

RH: How far back in history do you see the roots of today's rapid changes reaching?

GA: I think it's helpful to have a bird's eye view of the last 2,000 years…if we do that from the perspective of our island, what we see is Christianity locked in a struggle with autocratic Roman culture and then, as it succeeded in converting the Roman Empire, it found itself facing paganism in Europe.

It converted paganism and set up the foundations for a deeper Christianisation of society. I'm one of the people who look to the Middle Ages as being an immensely impressive period, [when] the Christianisation of society went deep, with houses of prayer at the centre of society's life and the rulers being held to account for Christian values.

Like all life cycles, it was cyclical and the Reformation sought to bring new life to it, but the problem for the Reformation was it was overtaken by the Enlightenment.

The tide of Christian influence is running out fast - and the extent to which it's run out has surprised everybody.

So for the last 300 years we've been struggling with a growing rationalism which has fed human pride and amplified the theological question posed in the beginning of Genesis – ‘Just because you can achieve something, are you sure you can live with the consequences of taking those actions?’

What we discovered in the 20^th and 21^st Centuries is that we can't live with the consequences of our skilfulness.

So from the perspective of the end of the Age of Enlightenment, where we are now, we see that we've been overcome by a love of human cleverness, which has eclipsed people's sense of the need in their own hearts, and that's one of the reasons why it's so difficult to communicate the Gospel at what I think I might want to call the end of the Age of Enlightenment - which is where we live now.

RH: We have seen many churches embracing these changes and seeking to claim they are Christian values. Why do you think this is happening and where do you think it is a leading?

GA: When asked this kind of question, we need to agree what category of diagnosis we are going to use. We have the options of spiritual discernment on the one hand, or an analysis that flows from a reading of political and historical development on the other.

Christianity always needs to interpret itself in a way that the contemporary culture can hear. But that immediately throws up a danger. It makes it more vulnerable to taking on board the assumptions of that culture. It takes a very healthy and confident faith to preserve its roots in revelation, whilst still finding imaginative ways of communicating it to people who don't accept that source.

In our age the Church has become over-impressed by the intellectual and technological accomplishments of the last 200 years. To some extent, it has lost confidence in the miraculous and transcendent. So when society begins to experiment with different ways of understanding gender and sex which have nothing to do with the protection or nurture of the family, a misplaced vulnerability to the unbiblical ideas of social progress combined with a desire to be compassionate can produce a different matrix of theological priorities in the Church. Wanting to be seen as loving, we become instead indulgent and in need of approbation from those we live amongst, instead of challenging and helping them.

Using spiritual discernment, we find in Romans chapter 1 that there is a close correlation between idolatry in a culture and sexual and gender disorder.

It is no surprise that our idolatrous culture is experiencing profound confusion in matters of sexual identity and morality.

If we put these two things together, it is no surprise that our idolatrous culture is experiencing profound confusion in matters of sexual identity and morality. Sexual incontinence and confusion is one of the foremost by-products of idolatry. It is as if the ‘being made in the image of God’ becomes more obscured and society begins to image darker, more dangerous and disordered other ‘gods’ - in other words, the distortions that flow from the gravitational pull of the ‘ruler of this world’.

It will lead further and further away from an authentic Christianity into one of the usual perversions or diminutions of the faith; a ‘Christianity of convenience’. There is always the danger that Christianity becomes a kind of religious or spiritualised veneer used to give a kind of false comfort to genuine religious longings, but one which actually reinforces the selfish wills of the human heart rather than challenges and transforms them.

In my judgment, that is exactly the situation the Church of England has got [itself] into today. It refuses to allow its comfortable presuppositions to be challenged by the authority of Scripture and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, without which formative faith becomes relative religion.

RH: What do you believe are the implications for Western societies in the future?

GA: Western society appears to have run out of both inspiration and energy because it has put its eggs all in one basket. That basket is an inflated sense of what it can achieve. Western society has bought into a philosophy of improving utopianism - which is a misdiagnosis - and so Western society at the moment is faced with a choice, because it's challenged by two great religious solutions.

The first one is Christianity, which invites it to have a more realistic sense of its own fragility and to repent and throw itself into God's hand for re-making. And the other is Islam, which requires it to submit to an authoritarian re-ordering of society on theocratic terms, with power rather than mercy at the heart of it.

Secularism, which is effectively self-indulgence and intellectual pride, cannot stand in the way of Islam simply because Islam is so politically ambitious and so militarily equipped that secularists will find themselves unwilling to die for convenience's sake.

In that sense I've always believed that a secular society runs out of steam, unable to sustain its own utopianism. It's faced essentially with a choice between Mohammed and Jesus. It appears to have rejected Jesus, so it looks like it's going to get Mohammed.

RH: You've mentioned Islam and many people are concerned about its influence on Western nations in its variety of forms. You could say in many ways that this has become the fly in secularism's ointment. How do you see the relationship developing between secularism and Islam in the future?

GA: The real problem for secularism is it wholly misunderstands what Islam is. In its reliance on badly-educated secular Religious Education teachers, it's made the category error of seeing Islam as a kind of Arabic form of Judeo-Christianity. It's nothing of the kind. So far from being a cousinly Abrahamic faith, it is in fact the opposite of Christianity.

As a result of that, secularism has entirely underestimated both what Islam's ambition is and its determination to fulfil that ambition in a series of strategies which begin with mass immigration and end in force. By misunderstanding Islam, secular society finds itself undefended against it and worse than that, in its antipathy towards Christianity, it has decided to use Islam and Islamic immigration as a weapon to take what I think is revenge on Christianity.

Secular culture [cannot] sustain its own utopianism. It's faced essentially with a choice between Mohammed and Jesus. In rejecting Jesus, it looks like it's going to get Mohammed.

What it's done is to make a pact with a religious and political force that will in the end overcome it. Not unlike, I suppose, in one sense, the way in which the Anglo-Saxons paid a Danegeld to protect themselves against one enemy, only to find themselves overwhelmed by the very people they were seeking protection from.

RH: You have outlined the reasons you see behind the cultural changes in Western societies in recent decades. Are there any passages in the Bible which in your opinion shed light on these developments?

GA: The Bible ought to shape all our views - and does, of course. But I find myself looking particularly to the Gospel of John and to the Book of Revelation as providing ways to best understand the dynamics of the rapid shifts that we're experiencing during my lifetime.

And so I think I'd want to make a bridge between the Lord's Prayer and Revelation chapter 21, and say that I've increasingly come to see what Jesus taught us to pray for in the words "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done" not as something that can be achieved on the earth, where St John tells us that the main influence is the ‘ruler of this world’ and the Book of Revelation tells us that the earth is, if you like, the remedial Borstal for Satan and his angels after they lost the metaphysical fight with St Michael.

Instead, I see the new Heaven and the new earth as the place that we're being pointed to in Revelation 21 in a way that should direct our prayers and our energies. That's not to say that what takes place in time and space and history is unimportant, but it is to say that the Kingdom of Heaven is beyond time and space, and we're called to make the most direct journey possible towards it, living out all the Gospel values we can as we do so.

Next week: Part II: Paying the price.

Author Biography

Gavin Ashenden read Law at Bristol University, before studying theology at Oak Hill Theological College in London. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1980, subsequently serving in a London parish for 10 years. He spent 23 years at the University of Sussex as a senior lecturer and senior chaplain, lecturing in the Psychology of Religion and Literature.

Over the years he has written occasional newspaper articles and worked for the BBC on a freelance basis presenting a weekly faith and ethics radio programme.

In 2008 he was appointed a Chaplain to the Queen. In 2017 he resigned from this position in order to be free to speak out for the faith in public. Later that year he resigned from the Church of England, convinced that its leadership was replacing apostolic and biblical patterns with the alternative values of Cultural Marxism.

He is now a Missionary Bishop to the UK and Europe in the Christian Episcopal Church.

You can find out more about Gavin’s extraordinary life, journey and ministry on his blog.

Encouragement amid the battle for Britain.

Two years ago, I reported that I believed God was telling me to stop praying for the nation, which upset some people. But the reason was because God was shaking everything – and we believed that more shaking was to come. He was going to shake the banks, industries, high street stores, political parties, Government - all the human institutions in which people put their trust. I warned about the danger of praying against the will of God, by praying “Peace, peace” when the Lord was saying “There is no peace”.

Today, everything is being shaken like never before! Our objective remains to pray that the shaking will be effective! But also, I believe God is encouraging us to begin to look beyond the present crisis to the times of blessing and prosperity that will follow if there is repentance and turning right now – which is the object of the great shaking.

The thing I find most encouraging is the enormous amount of prayer in the nation – clear, focused, mature prayer, from Bible-believing Christians.

Truth and Hope

Earlier this week, my wife and I were guests at the Annual Meeting in London of Transform Work UK, an organisation that Monica and I founded nearly 20 years ago. It gave us the opportunity of reminiscing and bringing a word of encouragement to them. We had the joy of listening to reports from Christian leaders in commerce and industry of what God is doing today.

Transform Work UK (TWUK) provides a link and purpose for thousands of praying Christians in their places of work. We spoke of the founding principles that warned against the danger of becoming little groups who just did ‘Sunday Church’ on weekdays. From the beginning, the objective was to get the Gospel into the workplace, to make an impact upon the economy, to make a difference in working conditions, to benefit employees: in short, to establish both biblical truth and biblical ethics in industry and commerce.

The thing I find most encouraging is the enormous amount of prayer in the nation – clear, focused, mature prayer, from Bible-believing Christians.

We reminded them of one of the founding members, Jeff, who worked for the Audit Commission. Jeff couldn’t stop sharing his faith with anyone who would listen and over lunch one day he talked to one of the Board Members about the biblical values of integrity, faithfulness, loyalty and love for one another at the heart of the Gospel. This led to the setting up of ‘Christians in the Audit Commission’ as part of their Human Resources. They were given an office and direct access to the Board and to the Chairman, who said that these were the ethical values that needed to be at the heart of the Audit Commission’s work.

It was thrilling this week to hear reports of regional group leaders (known as ‘Ambassadors’) from around the country and news of the impact Christians are making in industry and many other parts of the workplace today.

We heard from Christians in banking, in the motor industry, in local and national Government, in the railway network and numerous others. One man related how he had just led someone to Christ during his lunch hour.

There is even a praying group in 10 Downing Street, and a young man in Theresa May’s constituency enthusiastically reported how his group prays for her on a daily basis.

Great Need for Prayer

I have no doubt that prayer is playing a major part in the struggle to complete a satisfactory Brexit deal. All discerning Christians have known for a long time that the battle to untangle Britain from the tentacles of the European Union would be long and hard, because it is not simply a political tussle - it is a major spiritual conflict.

At the beginning of the TWUK meeting I gave them a scripture which I believe was a word from God for them. It was “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtain wide, do not hold back; lengthen your chords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and the left” (Isa 54:2).

I did not know that Ros Turner, the leader of TWUK, had based her annual message on Jeremiah 29, where the word of God to the exiles in Babylon was to build houses and plant gardens, to increase in number and not to decrease. The same word also instructed the exiles to pray for Babylon, which must have seemed outrageous to the people of Israel whose land had been overrun by this enemy. But that was part of God’s good plan for their future prosperity.

I believe God is encouraging us to begin to look beyond the present crisis to the times of blessing and prosperity that will follow if there is repentance and turning.

I believe that God is now telling Christians in Britain to pray not only for Brexit, but for Brussels! Yes, pray for Brussels! The EU leaders are incredibly worried about the possibility of Britain leaving without a deal which would have a terrible impact upon the EU economy. Of course, they are holding out to the last minute to try to stop Britain leaving the EU; just as are the secular liberal elites in the Westminster Parliament – by any means necessary. Of course, delaying Brexit or forcing another referendum in the current climate of violence and social media hatred would bring violence onto the streets of British cities and chaos across the nation.

Never has there been a greater need for prayer – focused, targeted prayer - since the days of Dunkirk and the 1940s’ threat of Nazi invasion! Nor has there been a greater need to mobilise the little groups of praying Christians in the workplaces, in homes and churches across the nation!

God Longs to Forgive

The next few weeks is going to be the most important time in the history of Britain since the Second World War. Christian intercessors - alone, in small groups or in large gatherings - could focus their prayers with words from Jeremiah 29, praying specifically for repentance and willingness to seek agreement in Brussels and Westminster.

To my surprise, I believe God is saying that he has not finished with Europe, which used to be the most Christian continent in the world, taking the Gospel to many nations. Despite its gross backsliding, God is longing to forgive and to restore. Britain’s departure from the EU will cause an enormous shaking which could be God’s way of opening eyes that are blind.

Through the mountain of prayer that is ascending to heaven from Britain and all over Europe right now as the nations are gripped with anxiety for the future, God is at work using this situation to work out his good purposes. And if we will allow him, he will guide the decision-making and ensure his good plans will give both a future and a hope to Britain and to Europe.

His word is “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord” (Jer 29:13-14).

Britain toughens up over Iran-backed group threatening Israel.

Amidst the ongoing shame of anti-Semitic revelations surrounding the Labour Party, it is no small comfort to hear of positive moves in the opposite direction from Theresa May’s Tory Government.

Following an apology of sorts from Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt over Britain’s disgraceful treatment of Jews during our charge of Palestine, Home Secretary Sajid Javid this week announced the full banning of Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, who have long been committed to wiping Israel off the map.

The Government has finally accepted that there is no distinction, as previously claimed, between the group’s political and military wings.

Israel the Divider

At long last we are seeing a clear dividing line between the two main parties which, for the past two decades, have become more or less indistinguishable from one another on many important issues, including the dreadful liberal social engineering which has seen the Judeo-Christian values of our society progressively replaced by those of aggressive minorities.

But now – over Israel – a gaping chasm has opened up, and Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn had better watch out. A supporter over the years of the IRA, North Korea, Eastern European and other socialist dictatorships, he has also famously referred to Hezbollah, along with equally frightening neighbours Hamas, as ‘friends’.

This certainly suggests that he shares their vision for Israel’s destruction, as apparently does Seumas Milne, Labour’s head of strategy and communications, who is considered so influential that he has been referred to as ‘Corbyn’s brain’.

According to The Mail on Sunday,¹ Milne’s links with terrorist groups dedicated to destroying the Jewish state are decades old. A party staff member, speaking anonymously, said: “Seumas has been supporting groups that deny Israel’s right to exist for many years.”²

At long last we are seeing a clear dividing line between our two main parties: over Israel, a gaping chasm has opened up. 

A Crisis of the Soul

Javid said: “My priority as Home Secretary is to protect the British people. As part of this, we identify and ban any terrorist organisation which threatens our safety and security…”

It will now be a criminal offence to be a member of, or to invite support for, Hezbollah, carrying a sentence of up to ten years’ imprisonment.³

Much of what goes on within the ranks of today’s Labour Party could surely be interpreted as “inviting support for Hezbollah”. Only last Sunday, Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson revealed he had received 50 new complaints relating to Jew-hatred in the previous week!

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Watson urged his boss to address “a crisis for the soul of the Labour Party”.

As I’ve said before, the position taken on Israel by nations, governments and even individuals or church denominations will inevitably have a bearing on their respective fortunes. This is based on a crucial promise in the early pages of the Bible (Gen 12:3) – that if you bless the seed of Abraham, you in turn will be blessed, but that if you curse them, you will come under judgment.

Britain has been under a curse since the time immediately before, during and after World War II when we refused entry to their ancient homeland for many of those Jews trying to flee Nazi Europe, while at the same time betraying our pledge to resettle them there through repeated appeasement of Arab demands.

Righteous Intervention

But a light has dawned at the Foreign Office, and we pray it will grow ever brighter. However, this is not just a political issue; it is intensely spiritual. And it is thanks in some measure to the efforts of Christians United for Israel UK (CUFI) that we have got this far.

Their current campaign, Operation Mordecai, is aimed at alerting Government to the grave threat posed to Israel and the West by Iran – supporter of Hezbollah, who have thousands of rockets on Israel’s northern border ready to fire at the Jewish state.

It was Mordecai who heard of a plot to destroy the Jews of ancient Persia and successfully persuaded his niece, Queen Esther, to intervene.

CUFI know full well the importance for Christians of standing with Israel. But there is a deafening silence from the Church in Britain as a whole. Israel Today journalist Ryan Jones told me: “It always amazes me how even many Christians still don’t grasp Israel’s importance when they can see how much impact policies and positions regarding the Jewish people have on the politics of the world’s greatest powers. How else can one explain the fact that tiny Israel and the Jews are consistently major election issues in the US, UK and other powerful nations?”

The position taken on Israel by nations, governments and even individuals or church denominations will inevitably have a bearing on their respective fortunes.

For the Gospel’s Sake

Clearly, today’s Jews are also under threat from hard-left politicians gaining momentum in our country. But this predicament is just the latest example of centuries of European persecution, as was brought home this week in a moving personal documentary on the Jews of Leeds by Simon Glass,⁴ some of whose Lithuanian ancestors were taken out and shot, along with the rest of their community, by invading Nazi soldiers.

CUFI and others have helped to unveil a modern plot against the Jews. But this isn’t just about preserving freedom, fairness or even lives. We need to clear the obstacles to the preaching of the Gospel – to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile (Rom 1:16).

When Rees Howells and his Bible College students fought the great battles of World War II on their knees in Wales, they were mindful that Hitler’s regime blocked the path to fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission.

The Marxist, atheist agenda of the rising tide of hard-left MPs is a demonic distraction from our chief calling. And we desperately need to lance this poisonous boil – not as an end in itself, but so that we can concentrate on focusing the attention of both Jew and Gentile on the destiny of their souls.

The Gospel is the absolute priority for our nation. As St Paul wrote: “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16).

References

1 The Mail on Sunday, 24 February 2019.

2 Quoted by United with Israel, 25 February 2019.

3 Christians United for Israel UK, 25 February 2019.

4 A Very British History, February 25 2019, BBC4.

God is working his purposes out.

Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking to a packed fringe meeting at the Church of England Synod in Westminster. There were a number of bishops and clergy of all ranks and the general atmosphere was one of deep concern for the state of the nation. The meeting was in Church House alongside Westminster Abbey and I think we were all aware of events across the road, where our politicians are struggling with seemingly intractable problems.

If any of those attending the meeting came expecting, or even hoping for, easy answers or joyful tidings, I’m afraid they would have gone away disappointed. The primary message I had to give was that God holds the Church responsible for the moral and spiritual state of the nation. I had been asked to speak about my latest book, ‘The Reshaping of Britain: Church and State since the 1960s’. I spoke about the last four Archbishops of Canterbury who I’ve known and worked alongside; and I spoke about the lack of a prophetic voice from the Church giving leadership to the nation in a time of revolutionary social, economic and political change.

It was not a comfortable message and in the short time of discussion it was clear that there are no easy answers to the situation. How do you bring creative, biblically-based change into an organisation as massive as the Church of England? I was only able to repeat what I’ve said so many times that there will be no revival in the nation until there is repentance in the Church. Of course, this is no easy message for those who are dealing with a multitude of pastoral problems in their congregations.

Right Understanding

One of the clergy asked, “Should we be encouraging young people in our churches to go into politics?” I know it is a very lonely and difficult place for Christians in the House of Commons at present. If there were a significant number of those who uphold biblical values and whose trust is in God, it would undoubtedly change the dynamics of politics and that should be a future hope and objective for all church leaders.

But I think it would take away a lot of our fear about the present political mess in the nation and our vast array of social problems if we simply understood what is going on. This means discerning the difference between the social engineering that has been driving the nation for the past 40 or 50 years generated by secular humanist advocates, and what is divine activity initiated by God.

It would take away a lot of our fear about the present political mess in the nation and our vast array of social problems if we simply understood what is going on.

Most Christians do not think in these terms because we do not rightly handle the whole word of God. We concentrate upon the Gospels and Epistles, but neglect to study the biblical Prophets, whom God used to reveal his nature and purposes to humanity in preparation for the coming of Messiah. Without a thorough understanding of this background we can never understand what God is doing in the world today. I said yesterday that this should be the major concern of church leaders today.

Listen to this from Isaiah 45:7: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.” All the Prophets recognised that God creates disaster! But he is more than ready to change disaster into prosperity!!! In fact, that is God’s purpose! He is longing to see his children enjoying the blessings of those who uphold righteousness and live by the standards of truth he has revealed in his word over many thousands of years.

Shaking All Things

God is at present shaking all the nations, as he first revealed to the Prophet Haggai in 520 BC, the significance of which for today is explained in the New Testament in Hebrews 12. You can see this in the upheavals and bitter Brexit divisions in Britain, in the rise of the populist movement in many countries throughout Europe, and in the fear of the Brussels elite at what may happen in the EU election in May this year.

You can see it in the USA, where there has never before been such bitter division between Republicans and Democrats. You can see it in the upheavals in South America, in Venezuela; similarly in Africa, especially in Nigeria in recent days, in the Middle East, in the distressing humanitarian crises in Yemen and Syria, and in many other parts of the world.

It is not only the nations that are being shaken, but all the great institutions in which we human beings put our trust – including the Church! Right now, the Roman Catholic Church is being torn asunder by having to face the sexual sins of its clergy over many decades that are being revealed to the public. Successive Popes have delayed the day of reckoning for many years, but the Vatican is having to face the uncomfortable truth that a system of forced celibacy in a social climate of sexual libertarianism is a recipe for disaster! Large numbers of clergy have misused their spiritual power for sexual gratification, exploiting vulnerable children and adults. The day of judgment has arrived, and this has not just been brought about by social pressure, but by the judgment of God.

All the Prophets recognised that God creates disaster! But he is more than ready to change disaster into prosperity!

For Love

Why is God shaking everything? It may be amazing to those who do not study the whole word of God – but when God brings judgment upon the evil institutions of humanity it is an expression of his LOVE!

God so loved the world that he gave his own Son to save humanity from self-destruction. But our tiny minds simply cannot comprehend the magnitude of God’s purposes without the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit to flood his truth into our lives.

Let me give a small illustration of the great truth that I’m trying to convey. For more than 30 years I have been trying to teach a basic sociological truth that when you weaken and undermine the family, you destroy the social fabric of society, because the family is the linchpin holding everything together. This is what we have done in Western society and this is the underlying cause of knife crime, gang warfare, drug use, bullying, depression and suicide. We have crucified truth and produced an age of fake news, lies, hatred and violence, driven by the forces of darkness that we have embraced.

But amidst all this, God is working out his purposes to bring human beings to the point where they recognise that they have no solutions to the problems they have created. When they begin to cry out ‘O God, what has gone wrong?’ God knows they will be then open to the truth. He is calling upon his Church to be ready for a great spiritual awakening! Not a revival of the old institutions that we call churches, but a genuine new openness to the truth, met by a Church that genuinely both lives and declares the unchanging word of God.

That is the way disaster will be turned into prosperity! And the good news is that we may not be far from the turning point!

God must sometimes tear down in order to build up.

Why are our politicians still in confusion? Why is there no shared vision or clear strategy in Westminster after so many months of debate? Surely the simple answer has to be that there are no political solutions to the problems in the nation. But when will our political representatives realise that something is wrong and begin to look below the surface for the real problem – and the real answer?

The evidence that Britain is a sick society is all around in our daily news: the huge rise in knife crime in the past five years, young people dying on our city streets, the homeless sheltering in shopfronts, children becoming drug mules, self-harming, suicides, domestic violence, family breakdown, gambling addiction, alcohol problems, poverty, inequality - we could go on and on with an endless list of symptoms.

But they all come back to the same source – our society-wide rejection of truth, trust, faithfulness, integrity, justice, love, unselfishness, service and loyalty - all the values of the Gospel set out in the Bible that used to be taught to our children in every state school and in Sunday schools.

We have ditched the lot! So, our children have no yardstick by which to measure truth; and we are surprised when their world of social media, soaked in fake news and lies, leads them into depression, self-harming and suicide. The media rages against paedophiles who groom vulnerable children online, but are we not a nation of child abusers in the eyes of God? We have despised his word and we are reaping the harvest.

A Second Chance?

It’s time to face up to reality: Brexit will not solve our problems! But to remain in the EU would be even worse. And the worst possible outcome would be another referendum! The nation is already bitterly divided and calling for a so-called ‘People’s Vote’ is a recipe for civil war!

Maybe all the Brexit negotiations are pointless anyway as the EU itself appears to be set on a course for disintegration. Populist movements are gaining momentum across Europe which is likely to bring in a lot of hostile MEPs in the EU election in May. With Italy in recession and France and Germany not far behind, if Britain leaves without a deal and without paying its £39 billion settlement bill, it could be a fatal blow to the EU.¹

It’s time to face up to reality: Brexit will not solve our problems!

If Britain succeeds in getting out of the European Union next month in the face of massive opposition, I believe it will be a sign that God is giving us a second chance and an opportunity to deal with the social problems in the nation.

The Cost of Revival

At the Wembley Arena Prayer Day, I made two points which I believe are important:

1. God holds the Church responsible for the moral and spiritual state of the nation.
   
2. There will be no revival in the nation until there is repentance in the Church.
   

I apologise for referring again to the Wembley event. I’ve taken a lot of flak for appearing on that platform, but at the risk of indulging in self-justification, I really have to say that I still believe it was right for me to go there and say those two things – and possibly also to witness the teaching that is appearing in some of our churches!

I was a lone voice calling for repentance at Wembley, which should worry Bible-believing Christians because we know that judgment begins at the house of the Lord. If we do not recognise our responsibility for the state of the nation and repent before God, there really is no hope for Britain!

Why is it that when evangelicals come together for prayer, the predominant thing they want to do is to call upon God to send a revival? What they often don’t realise is that the cost of revival is repentance for our responsibility for the mess in the nation. We are part of a Church whose preachers have committed adultery, have broken their marriage vows, have indulged in sodomy, have lied and cheated. We have allowed Scripture to be manipulated in support of sinful lifestyles. We have tolerated televangelists with luxurious lifestyles and enjoyed the pronouncements of false prophets who have tickled our ears with promises of power, miracles, signs and wonders.

How do we dare to ask God to send a revival to such a Church? I am due to address a lunchtime meeting at the Church of England Synod next Thursday in London, and I intend asking how we can expect God to bless a Church that is not giving clear godly leadership to the nation in a time of great turmoil.

If Christians do not recognise their responsibility for the state of the nation and repent before God, there really is no hope for Britain!

Learning from Jeremiah

In the Prophet Jeremiah’s day, he faced a similar situation. The religious leadership of the nation, the Temple priesthood, were as corrupt as the rest of the population. Jeremiah said “I have seen something horrible: they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. They are like Sodom to me, the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah” (Jer 23:14).

Do you not think that God is saying something similar to us, not only in Britain but in all the Western nations, where we have had the Gospel for centuries but we have turned away from the ways of righteousness – selling our inheritance for a mess of pottage?

Jeremiah was told that God’s purpose for the nation was peace and prosperity – Jeremiah’s task was to build and to plant. But there were six verbs in this instruction, not just two. They were “To uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” The nation was so advanced in corruption, immorality and idolatry, that a lot of things had to be removed from its culture before there could be blessing and prosperity.

God was giving notice to Jeremiah that he was about to shake the nation to its very foundations. The great institutions of state, its political and economic structures, including its religion, would all be shaken. Nothing would be spared. This is what happened in 586 BC when the Babylonian army tore down the walls of Jerusalem, destroying the Temple, the Palace and all the great buildings.

Is God today warning the Western nations that the whole of our civilisation is coming under judgment? How much uprooting and tearing down must be done before building and planting is possible again? Has God brought Islam into the West for judgment, or to expose its false teaching and bring about a Muslim harvest for the Gospel, along with a revival of true biblical Christianity in the West?

At a Crossroads

Surely today we are at a crossroads. It is not only Brexit that is a warning sign, but the populist movement that is spreading across Europe, and the huge divisions that are shaking America. The ‘Arab Spring’ began the shaking of Islam. God has promised to shake all nations – he has already started.

Surely it is time to search the scriptures for understanding of the times and come before the Lord with repentance, humility, trust and hope for the future.

Notes

1 It would not be good for the German economy if BMW build a plant in Britain to avoid paying a tariff on their cars (Britain is their best export customer)!